Just One More Month

I've always heard that life is going to be hard, but how hard could it be? Harder than waking up to your parent's bickering every morning? Harder than working late at night to support your own schooling? Or perhaps harder than getting beaten up by a group of bullies because you won't buy the shit they're peddling?

'Just a while longer, and I won't have to deal with my parents at least…' Setting the toothbrush back into its holder, I glanced back at myself in the mirror. Bruised up by the chin and cheeks, and hair so fuzzy a colony of chirpers could be living in it. Yet I couldn't spare a dime to get a haircut or patch myself up with a doctor's visit. 'This month, that's all you have to suffer through, after that, you can finally afford an apartment's rent as well as other necessities.'

Pumping myself up, I picked up a pair of scissors and began trimming my hair until it was somewhat presentable for school. Following it up with a quick bath, I made sure to sneak past my mother in the hall to avoid listening to her quarrel with my father on the phone. Even so, from the brief dialogue I caught overhearing her, it seemed the house we lived in was soon to be repossessed by the banks.

A gambling father, and a cheating mom, things couldn't get worse than this right? And even if they could, I'm about to escape this hell soon enough. Putting on my school uniform, I walked over to my bed and reached under the mattress for my wallet. Taking out only enough money to pay for a sandwich on my way to school, I put the wallet back in its place.

As I reached for my room's door handle, the voice of a friend calling from outside perked up my ears. Walking downstairs, I slipped my flip phone out of my pocket and shot her a text that I was coming right out. Had my mom heard her howling, she would've given me an earful, but thankfully the text paused Akane's calls for my name.

Heading out the front door, the very first thing I saw was Akane gently waving her hand towards me. Shutting the door behind me, I joined her for our regular trip to school together. Having been a childhood friend for long, she knew everything about me and the situation at my house. Thus sometimes, when she got really worried about me, she brought up topics she otherwise wouldn't bring up. And today was just that kind of day as well.

"I heard your mom screaming, is everything okay?" She asked, her tanned lips crooked with tension.

Looking at her as we walked, I couldn't help but notice her well-trimmed hair which made me kind of self-conscious about mine.

"Just the regular stuff, she and Dad had some stuff to scream down each other's throat about," humming curiously, she moved in front of me and began walking backward. Her eyes focused right on me, she was definitely more informed about the situation than she let on. "Okay…Fine, I'll tell you but let me get something to eat first."

Stopping in my tracks, I point toward a convenience store at the edge of the road. With a spring to her feet, she spun around and took the position to run track.

"Race you there!" Looking at me from over her shoulders, she smirked devilishly before bolting off.

"Oi!" By the time I could word a complaint, she was already far ahead of me. "As if I can win against a track champ…"

Her carefree personality never failed to lighten my heart. With a chuckle, I strode behind her to catch up while she waited for me inside the store. Getting what I wanted quickly, we headed right out of the store, although having just enough money to buy one sandwich made me feel kind of scummy since Akane was with me.

"Here," I said, offering her half of it as we made our way to school again.

"Daichi, I ate before getting ready," a glimpse of guilt was visible in her gaze.

'Does she feel bad that I have to buy my own food?' For a moment I almost let myself be okay with it, but then grabbing her hand, I forced half the sandwich on it.

"I don't eat much okay? Low metabolism and all that, besides, you're one who runs all day so you need all the calories that you can get," I didn't need pity, especially not from someone who I admired.

At first, she seemed conflicted about accepting it, however, as I retracted my empty hand and began eating, she huffed a sigh and gave up on convincing me. The rest of the way, we talked to each other in between bites about Akane's upcoming races. And although she didn't seem particularly excited about the topic, she kept me company until we finally reached our school.

"So glad you made me think about sports all the way here even though I'm supposed to run track for the next eight hours," rolling her eyes teasingly, Akane let out a chuckle and waved at me before heading off for morning practice. 

Standing before the school gate as countless students walked past me, I took a few deep breaths to prepare myself for the upcoming torture. Hayato High, a school for prefects with the highest academic talents, or so they say. Just getting admitted to this place took years off of my life, but now that I was admitted, I wished I could go back in time and save myself from wasting so much time.

'Let's hope I-' Right as I was to take a step forward, the image of some known deviants flashed in my peripherals. If I truly wanted, I could've easily avoided them, but doing so would only invite more trouble later on. 'What the hell do they want now?'

Turning my head to the side, I watched the three of them smirking as they made their way towards me. Their wrinkled clothes padded with dirt already told a story about how I wasn't their first victim for the day.

"Hero…" Reluctantly greeting their spikey-haired leader, I turned my gaze to the other two as well. "Sato, and Kenta too? You guys want something?"

Apart from Hero himself who was only somewhat more athletic than me, Kenta was an obvious threat with his tall muscular frame especially when paired with his bad temper. As for Sato, who even knows why the two kept him around since the only distinct thing about him in that group was that he had dark hair instead of brown like the other two.

As they came closer, I could hear their loose belts clanking by their waists. The sound alone was almost a threat for many students, but thankfully I wasn't one of them just yet.

"So…" Moving even closer, Hero pushed him back with a bitter expression. "You have money for that damned sandwich and not when we're trying to help you have a good time, huh?"

'Goddammit, did they see me eating it?' Thankfully, even if they did, I had only taken enough money out of my wallet for the sandwich. So even if they wanted to mug me off my money, there was nothing for them to get out of me.

"I told you I'm not into those kinds of things," taking a few steps away from them, I tried to de-escalate the situation. "Drugs and cigarettes, I just don't have money to waste on them."

Visibly fuming at my words, the three moved closer once again, but this time I knew it was not just going to be shove.

"Acting high and mighty, why don't you come with us for a moment to the restroom and explain yourself better?" Hero ordered a creepy smirk painted across his lips.

"I-I have to class," abandoning my attempt to calm things down, I tried to run off to class, but Kenta blocked my path by moving in front of me.

"Oi oi, where do you think you're going?" Throwing his arm across my shoulders, Sato pulled me closer as if we were buddies. "We're not done here, you runt."

With that whisper in my ear, I knew today was going to be just as horrible a day as any.

'Just one more month…' I reminded myself to gather some courage for yet another beating.